We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Loubna Noureddin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Loubna below.

Alright, Dr. Loubna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

That I have inspired leaders to bring humanity and dignity into the workplace during time of distrptive change.

Dr. Loubna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a leadership scholar, orphans advocate, civil war survivor, and co-founder of Mind Market Consultants, a resource and coaching centre for organizations and startups prioritizing cultures of brilliance over systems of unnecessary change and chaos.

I’ve earned a PhD in organization and leadership, and spent over 20 years in corporate, and now I consult outside of it.
My career has been dedicated to posturing leaders for success through complex change. My team has extensive experience in coaching executives and board members to get them from where they are to where they want to be.

Through my career, I couldn’t help but notice that organizations with the most noble agenda can create the most toxic environments.

I help executives navigate the human side of the business while sustaining targeted outcomes for their companies. Resentment can supress your high potential team, and company loyalty can be destroyed in the midst of too much rapid, mindless change.

Trust me, if you want to waste potential, put people in a situation where they spend their energy surviving instead of engaging their expertise and contributing to strong cultures that sustain and run on united purpose.

No matter what conflicts arise on your path – you and your team are so much more than your survival skills.
And I can prove it. My work attests that thorough investigation reveals thorough, yet simple solutions to major challenges. And that by truly respecting the talents within and around you, Potential will show its face.

Because the psychology of human potential is a subject only the shortsighted ignore. And leaders cannot find their power, foster innovation, or sustain growth in hectic environments where their teams waste valuable energy merely surviving the day.

Change is inevitable. And whether you create the consequences of change or inherit them, there’s a stark difference between leaders willing to address their shifting cultures vs. those living in denial that problems exist.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I once woke up to the hot end of a rifle pressed into my forehead. I was ten years old, Sierra Leone was on the edge of civil war, and when there’s an impending battle at your doorstep, you’re likely to get some early, unwelcome visitors. In our case, it was rebels from neighboring cities out to thieve whatever valuables they could find. My family and I managed to flee into the darkness of our nearby jungle that night – the life we had (along with my coveted teddy bear) were left behind.

Change can come suddenly. And other people’s conflicts and agendas rarely have concerns for what you hold dear.

But horrific events walk hand-in-hand with the incredible. Because though we were found later by a tribe of known cannibals (no, I’m not joking), one tribesman took it upon himself to save us. He led us through a wilderness modern people can’t survive, following an internal map only he knew how to read, and warded off predators with a strange dust blown from his mouth.

So I do believe in “magic.” But if that word is too uncomfortable, think of it this way: Magic is the phenomenon of hope and extraordinary outcomes occurring in an otherwise doomed situation.

And this was just my first civil war. The second was in Lebanon during most of my adolescence while at school. Weird isn’t it that University happens while bombs explode in the distant neighborhoods.

Human beings are very adaptable. Which is a useful quality. But often we need to stop and question what it is we’re adapting to.

I eventually made it through to Canada as a refugee and life gave me a second change.

What does not break you, can make you more resilient. I am also much more empathetic to all the refugees out there. I recognize their pain and I can relate to the journey of disruptive change.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My advice to those just starting to build their social media presence is to prepare themselves to be there for the long run. Focus on one platform and become consistent about sharing your thoughts and ideals. Know who your ideal client is and speak to them, Share their pains and rewards. Make it about them. Be a giver, not a taker. Don’t expect miracles in your first year. Quality followers come from quality networking over time. It is not about the number of likes. It is about the credibiliy you are building for those you want to become your loyal clients. You are there for the long run, one day at a time.

I focused on Linkedin as my main platform and started following the people I admire, making value-add comments consistently. I posted three times a week and shared information that my ideal clients can relate to. I shared journals and articles that they can benefit from and invited them to comments. I spoke their language because it was about them. I know their pains and I understand their struggles, their wants and their needs. I used to be so disappointed when I had just a couple of comments or likes until I started to hear them make comments about my recent post to me and others. I know I am making a difference to one person out there and I am confident that I inspire my clients to bring humanity and dignity into the workplace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mindmarket.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loubna.nour
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnoureddin/

Image Credits
Credit ICF-Converge 2018 (picture 1 and 2)